[San Diego Comic-Con]: G. WILLOW WILSON, MS. MARVEL AND THE WOMEN OF MARVEL; Comic Book Resources, 7/24/16

Albert Ching, Comic Book Resources; [San Diego Comic-Con]: G. WILLOW WILSON, MS. MARVEL AND THE WOMEN OF MARVEL:

"It's the last day of Comic-Con International in San Diego, but Marvel ended the show in a big way -- with a crowded and high-profile "Women of Marvel" panel, hosted by Marvel digital producer Judy Stephens and including Director of Character and Content Development Sana Amanat, Marvel social media manager Adri Cowan, Marvel live host Lorraine Cink, "Ms. Marvel" writer G. Willow Wilson, upcoming "Captain Marvel" writer Margaret Stohl, "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." costume designer Ann Foley and "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." cast members Chloe Bennet, Ming-Na Wen and Elizabeth Henstridge...

The last person to ask a question at the panel asked where the panel thought things would be in another five years, given that a few years ago Marvel had no female-led titles (and now has 20). Amanat said she hopes that Marvel will be in a place where the number of female-led books no longer needs to be countered, and different genders and sexual orientations are "completely normalized.""

At Comic-Con, Bring Out Your Fantasy and Fuel the Culture; New York Times, 7/15/15

A.O. Scott, New York Times; At Comic-Con, Bring Out Your Fantasy and Fuel the Culture:

"The deeper mythology of Comic-Con is that fans and creators are joined in communion, sharing in the holy work of imagination. The logic of popular culture today suggests that every fan is also an artist. This is literally true in the blossoming fields of fan art and fan fiction, in which devotees of intellectual properties (the ubiquitous San Diego shorthand for books, comics, movies and shows) make their own images and stories involving their favorite characters. Cosplay is a live-action form of fan art, or maybe fan nonfiction, and the owners of the intellectual property rights are careful not to interfere too much.

The organizers of Comic-Con, meanwhile, provide encouragement for fans who dream of professionalizing their passions. A smattering of panels offered advice on how to pitch an idea, how to market a product, how to make a living in a crowded marketplace. Social media and digital technology encourage the fantasy that everyone can make stuff and put it out there for everyone else.

Or maybe it isn’t a fantasy. The world of popular culture only gets bigger, and as it does it grows more diverse, more inclusive and more confounding."

Pow! Gay Comic Book Characters Zap Stereotypes; New York Times, 7/5/15

Gregory Schmidt, New York Times; Pow! Gay Comic Book Characters Zap Stereotypes:

"Mainstream comic book publishers have tried for years to draw a more diverse readership by incorporating gay characters and story lines.

Lately, they have faced increased competition from smaller publishers that want to go more mainstream and already have an established roster of inclusive offerings.

As the comic book industry prepares to gather at Comic-Con International, which begins Thursday in San Diego, publishers big and small will be promoting a wider selection of gay-themed comic books. Industry insiders say the trend mirrors the country’s evolving attitudes toward gays and lesbians."